SERIAL STORY.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIX, Issue 22, 27 January 1915, Page 3

SERIAL STORY.

B£NTLtYBCONSC!ENC£.

(By PAUL TEENT;.

Author of "The Vow," "The Foundling," "The Second Chance,"

etc., etc.

CHAPTER XXI

Nigel Weatherby was an extremely busy man, foi^ apart from his political life, iie was chairman of a manufacturing business in the Midlands, which he had inherited from his father. --Perhaps he owed his appoint.ment as Under Secretary to the Board of Trade to tthe fact that thei-o was ««< growing public cry for business men in the Goverument. Olive arrived just before ten o'clock, and was introduced by Weatherby 'to Trayer^ #i^ose place lie would shortly take/ The latter was a very practical man of some ability;* and had the suave, pleasant mannw of the ideal private secretary. "Glad to meet you," he said genially, and held held out his hanu. "You might run through some of these letters. Most of them answer themselves. If you've any difficulty refer to me." And then Travers continued die-

f fating to the lady typist, who sat in ! front of him. Olive at onco comi menced to read the correspondence, and was struck by the fact that many of the letters w?re of a flagrantly begging nature. However, he made ! pencil notes of what he judged to bo [ suitable answers, and by I'he timo ho had. finished Travers was ready for . him.

j "Very good," the latter remarked, • after he *lnd glanced through the ' bundle; and, then proceeded to mako -. one or two suggestions. i Clive spent the rest of the day ' with Travers, who kept him hard at ' work, and it was six o'clock before he 1 could get a'vay. ' Ethel was anxioush ; awaiting hmi^ and it appeared thai/ . Mr Carson "had passed a-very restless , day. , '- . i "H*l is worrying about Mr Bon- | nett," she wound up; and then he j told her what the American had said. "T had bettor see him to-night. ! Shall T go to the hotel?" she asked • uneasily. ; "No. T will telephone, and ask 1 him to come round here." | He returned in a few minutes to '. announce that Bennett would call at j nine o'clock: and they looked at ono ] another anxiously. I "Why doe^ he wish to see me?" ! ?ho asked in a low voice. j ' "He .intends to try and take ad--1 vantage of yonr father's illness. He will ask yon to marry him. and in re- ! turn will wipe out the dobi.'' { "But I have already refused,'' 1 Ethel cried vehemently. • "The situation has changed. Your father is now very seriously ill, and Bennett is counting on your affection • for him." | "What shall Ido " die. asked with I a sob; and he remained silent. "I | can't promise to marry him evon to' • save my father. Clive, darling, tell 'one what to do." ' , - "It is not easy to advise you.'' Neither of them spoke for a few i minutes, and then Ethel appeared to make up her mind. "I shall tell him to do his worst. It 1 would be wicked to promise to marry : a mnn I hate." j And then he took her in his arms j and kissed her gently, i "I seem to have brought .you no- ! thing but trouble. It would have . been bettor if I had nevor come (back," he said with' a" sigh,. but she ■ looked into his eves, and .lie saw tUie, , passion that was in hers. | "Clive, dearest, your love makes !up for everything. So long as .we •. are not separated I do not"care. You will never leave me?*' ' v A knock at the door, and she drew ! back; the servant announced that MiBennett had called. "I will see him in the library," Ethel said, and then looked question- ; ingly at Clivo. ''t.j.11 you oomo j down with me?" I "It would be useless. He insists J upon seeing you alone. But I will I stay, and if you want me, T will come I at once." ! Sh« paused in the doorway to look I at him for a moment';' and then with j li/sigh she ; went-downstairs; "'Bennett 4 was walking to»and <fro, but when ,vhe ''eame:hvhe stopped abruptly. "How's your father?" he asked. "•'He's not an,v better." "Can I see him?" ! "The doctor forbids all visitors." j _ "That's a pity. ft might have : simplified matters. Now to business. , Won't you sit down?" "I prefer to stand, and I shall bo ; glad if you will make your business ! as short as possible," she answered ' coldly. i "1 .advise you not to take that ' tone with me. I can be a good , friend',, but I'm a mortal bad enemy." j "I'm not afraid - of you," she ! stated quietly. | "You're not a coward, and perhaps that's why I like you. Bentley has ! explained the position to you?" | ."1 understand m.v father is in your power. You can make him a bankrupt." ! "That's so, an-d I intend to do so." i "Then there's nothing more to do said," she answered, and walked towards the door, but he ran forward and seized her arm. "I haven't done with you yet. Don't you notice that if I proceed to .■extremities your father will proi>ably die? Didn't the doctor say that he must avoid all worry?" "Yes, and it rests with you,'Mr Bennett. Please, let me go." j "I'm prepared to set .your father on his feet. I'll'settle a decent in- | come on him for the rest of his lifo." "You are very .kind. May I ask what return require?" "Yourself." "I. thought so; the price is too great.". - ■ "Tt;means your father's life.'" "Still the price is-too great," she .answered, but tho color had left her face, and her lins "were tremulous. "Yon think I'm bluffing; I'm not. But T will riot insist upon your'marrving me. It will b<? sufficient if you promise not to marry Bentley. "What do you menn?" "I've sworn you shan't marry that young.man, Is Bentley here?" "Yes," she answered hesitatingly.1-! "Then, send for'him." Let him hear what I have to say." "Fery'well," she rejoined, and left the room. . , Olive was anxiously Mwaiting,..hpr, and.-he jumped to his feet when tho, door opened. "Mr Bennett -n-;mts to speak i<> yon. T*think you had bettor come," she- said wearily.

"What has ha opened?" he asked anxiously, for her appearance alarmed him.

i"T would rn+hel' ho. o?;r>l<un<id."! i They walked downsf/nis in silence, I but when they entered th-o library.

Clive had slipped his arm through hers. "You want me?" he said quietly. Xll. iave agreed to provide handsomely for 3tlr Carbon, provided Miss Oarson promises not to marry you. I I rely upon you advising her to accept I my offer. I know you profess to be unselfish; and that you will do your , duty." ' | "It is not a condition that Miss ; Ca-rson shall agree to marry you?" j Clive asked with an-effort. • j "No, but I reserve the right of do- < ing so, should she change her mind. ; I may say that I shall endeavor to make her care for me." | "It will be useless!" Ethel cried j vehemently. t "I'm prepared to take my chance, j All I want at present is <a promise j from you both that you will nov j marry, and a. statement that 'your | engagement is broken off. In return,. J I will make a settlement upon your j father at once." . j • Clive did not answer, and he dared r not look at Ethel; for he knew that j he must accept this offer. Should j Mr Carson die, he realised that Ethel 1 would never forgive herse'^.- but would always remember that B7~e uad faikd to do something that might have saved him. ''You shall have your answer in the morning,"' Clive said at last. "One of the conditions would be that yon do not sco one another in j the future," Burnett said pravely. i "I can't agroe to that!" Ethel said J passionately. j 1 "It is for your own sakes f make ; that condition.'' \ "Yon shall have your answer in tho \ morning," Clivo snid curtly, and tho > American walked to the door. "Miss Carson, I want you to realise how much is >at stake—your" father's life. ,At the moment you may think I'm But I'm confident you would never be happy with Bentley. He's the sort of man- who would make any woman miserable, when tho glarror of love had passed, i You are a woman with a full capacity for enjoying life. Jlis wretched conscience would come l^+w een you and every natural pleasure. Think well before you decide," he wound up, and having smiled genially at them both, left the room. { > Alone—they looked at ono another, j aiid tht^-e was untold misery in their eyes. Ethel uttered a cry, and threw herself into her arms. "Darling, wo won't agree. You arc all f care about. I ean Jt live without you." She pressed him to her, :and kissed j him again and again. Tears stream- ( ■od down her cheeks, and she crieel I quietly. He tried to comfort,her, but j it wa« some time before her sobs j ceased. Then he drew her to the conch, and sat down by her side. "Dearest, wo have no altornativo, and Bennett knows it. We musx; sacrifice ourselves." I "Clive, you can't love me.'" j "I love you better than myself, j Answer mo frankly—if we refuse, and i your lather dies, would not your conscience reproach you?'1 But she remained silent. "You care for your father?"' -he went on gently, and tears once mor<r came to her eyes. "You are right, Clive, but it is cruel. Tdo love you so much; I can't think of life without you. Not to see you again, I can't bear the thought." . "We might promise not to marry during your father's life," Clive suggested. • "Ho wouldn't accept that. Clivo, I will givohim the promise, but only if he allows us to meet," she said with -sudden firmness. ' '■ "Tf he refuses?" . "Then he -must do his worst. It's no use, Clive. T would do almost anything to save father, but I must see you sometimes. Surely lam sacrificing enough." . "I will tell Bennett wtoa! you say," Clive answered with a sigh. f At last he was allowed to leave, and then Ethel went to her father, who was awake. , Mr Carson motioned .for her to come near, " and she knelt by his side. ' "Ethel, I'm very ill. I think I shall die," he whispered. "Nonsense. You will &oon x be well," she answered cheerfully. ; "Has Bennett, been here?" "Yoii must not talk business." 4 "I must «wow'what is^hapoenrag. .The suspense is> terrible. ■ All the time, I'm thinkiug;,-of the' future. Uid^t 'the doctor -say' that' "1' wtfsn^-t *to /ne worried?" "Yes, father, Mr Bennett- has offered to provide for you." "You are going to marry him?" he asked eagerly. And his face fell, when she shook her head. "Bennett will want his price," ho said uneasily. "His orico is—my promise not to marry Clive." "Of course gave it to him." "Not vet. Pc is to have his answer in the morning,"1 she said with an effort. "You can't hesitate. You must promise him. Tf I had an easy mind, I think* I should get well. You are not hesitating?" "Father, you shall have an easy mind," she whiskered. "Thank God!" he said with a deep indrawing of the breath, and his muscles relaxed. Soon his eyes closed, and she watched him until he slept. Th°n she crept away, and went to, her bedroom. "With a cry of anguish she threw herself 6n s to the. bed, and cried piteously. It .seemed as though life itself had come to an end, for no.thing was left to her but a weary existence. • s And Clive, he too was suffering, and it was of him that she. began to think. She knqw , how greatly he must have been tempted to seize his own happiness, but "ho had had the strength'to do what he thought to be his duty. And she had been compelled, tv ' separate herself from such a man.

(To be Continued.)